Railway-crossing signal



March 24, 1925. 1,530,771

F. w. HARRIS AILWAY CROS S ING S IGNAL Filed Oct. 25- 1,???

I N VEN TOR. Ibla/J [1 /Hamm,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar.. 24, 1925.

FORI) W. HARRIS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application led October 23, 1922. f Serial No. 596,339.

new and useful Improvement in Railway- Crossing Signals, of which the following is a specification. The principal object of my invention is to piovide a signal which is particularly applicable for use at railway and highway crossings or intersections and which has three aspects, namely, a safe signal, a stationary danger signal and a moving danger signal.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for automatically changing the signal from the safe to the stationary danger signal upon the failure of the current supply either through exhaustion of either of the batteries or other causes.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing the signal in the safe position. n Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the signal in the stationary danger position with the extremes of movement for the moving danger position shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar plan view of the portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the target swung to one extreme position.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of connections.

In the form of the invention illustrated, 11 is a case carrying magnets energized by coils 12 and 13 which operate upon an armature 14 to swing a pendulum 15 about a shaft 16. This Swinging may be accomplished by means comprising a switch 2O,`

shown in Fig. 6, which switch makes contact to stationary contacts 21 and 22, ener-l gizing either the magnet 12 or 13. Swinging signals of this type are well known in the art and details of the construction thereof need not be further illustrated. The pendulum consists of an arm or rod. or pipe 25 which is free to turn in a casting 26, being rotatable through ninety degrees by means of a spiral spring 27. In the embodiment shown, a projection 28 on the bot.-

tom of the casting 26 is engaged by fingers 29 secured to the pipe 25 to limit the movement of the pipe to ninety degrees. Carried on the arm or rod or pipe 20, and preferably associated with fingers 29, as shown, I may also provide returning means such as a laterally extending arm 35, having the general shape shown` in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

Asource of current such as battery is provided, one terminal of this battery being connected to one of the rails 41, and the' other terminal being connected through a resistance 42' with a coil 43 of a relay, the other terminal of that coil being connected through a wire 44 with the rail 4l. A short-circuiting connection 46 is provided between the rail 47 and the end of the resistance 42. The battery 40 normally holds the relay in its up position shown in Fig. 6, thereby closing the circuit comprising an additional source of current such as a battery` 50 through a moving contact 51, engaging stationary contacts 52 and energizing a coil 53 which is shown as connected through a wire 54 with the other terminal of the battery 50. The coil 53 may be placed on the outside of the case 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and employed to attract a core 54 having a beveled end 55 capable of projecting up inside the case 11 into the path of the arm 35. By means such as are above described, as long as the battery 40 energizes the coil 43, the arm 35 is held over in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 by means of the beveled end 55 of the core 54. Carried on the pipe y25 are signal elements shown as two discs 60, each preferably having a red bulls eye 61 in the center which may be illuminated at night.

With the signal in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, that is the safe position, the discs are edge on in the direction from which the signal is to be viewed, that is, from the highway, and the red bulls eye is invisible. In other words, in this position the signal gives a safety indication. If, for any reason, the battery 40 fails to energize the relay 43, this relay drops, breaking circuit to the coil 53, the core 54 dropping and allowing the arm 35 to il around under the influence of the'I spring 2 into. the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In this position the discs 60 and the bulls eye 61 are plainly visible to a person approaching along the highway giving a danger signal. If, for any reason, the battery 50 fails to energize the coil magnet 53, the same thing happens, the mentioned magnet being effective for holding the target arm in its safe posiof which is connected to the moving switch which alternately energizes the coils 12 and 13 and actuates the signal, swinging it from the position shown at 72 into the position shown at 73. The `dropping of the moving contact 51, of course, de-energizes the coil 53 and the signal turns into its danger position before starting to swing.

The signal continues to swing unto such a time as the train passes out of the block, breaking contact between the rails 41 and 47 and allowing the moving contact 51 to move upwardly and energize the magnet 53, at the same time cutting off energy from the coils 12 and 13. The signal, however, continues to swing due to its momentum, and the arm snaps over the end 55 of the core 54 just before the target reaches the position 73. The weight of the target is sufiicient as it swings back from position 73 into its central position .to return the signal into the position shown in Fig. 1. This will be understood from an examination of Fig.

5 which shows the arm 35 just as it is caught by the end 55 of the core 54.

It is evident that if, after the mentioned parts have assumed the relative position shown in Fig. 5, the member 25 moves from i right to left into the position shown in Fig.

3, the arm 35 will be forced from the position shown in Fig. 5 into the position shown in Fig. 3, and the target will be returned from the position shown at 73 in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig. 1 or in other words, that it will turn into the safety position. In the event that anything happens to either of the batteries 40 or 50 or to the wiring therefrom, ,the core 54 drops and the signal automatically turns into the danger position. In practice, the stationary danger position shown in Fi 2 indicates that lthe signal is out of or er. The trainmen are instructed to watch these signals very carefully and to immediately report any drop. Due to the fact that the target stands in the position shown in Fig. 2, when the signal is out of order, automatically indicates that the signal is inoperative and needs attention.

I claim as my inventionz' 1. In an electrically actuated crossing signal; a swinging arm; means comprising fixed magnets alternately energized for electrically oscillating said arm upon the approach of a train; a target carried on said arm; means for turning said target without changing its elevation to indicate danger; and means, comprising an element actuated by the source of electric energy depended upon to oscillate said arm, for holding said arm in the safe position so long only as said source is at or near its normal strength.

2. In an electrically actuated crossin signal; a swinging arm; means for electr1cally oscillating sa'id arm upon the approach of a train; a target carried on said arm; means for turning said target to indicate danger; a magnet, actuated by the source of electric energy depended upon to oscillate said arm, for holding said arm in the safe position so long only as said source is at or nearits normal strength; and means by which the oscillation of said arm turns said target into its' safe position whenever said magnet is fully energized.

3. An electrically actuated crossing signal as defined in claim 1 in which said target-turning means comprises a spring engaging said swinging arm.A f

4. An electrically actuated crossing signal as defined in claim 1 in which said target-holding and returning means comprises a laterally extending arm carried on said swinging arm.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 3rd day of June, 1921.

FORD W. HARRIS. 

